1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mountings for flashlights and more particularly pertains to a new device for mounting flashlights to bicycles for releasably mounting a flashlight to the handlebar of a bicycle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of mountings for flashlights is known in the prior art. More specifically, mountings for flashlights heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,390,927; U.S. Pat. No. 4,697,725; U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,555; U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,774; U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,546; and U.S. Pat. Des. No. 353,986.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new device for mounting flashlights to bicycles. The inventive device includes a first and second support mount for removably mounting a flashlight to the handlebar of a bicycle. The handlebar of the bicycle has a cylindrical cross-sectional shape in a plane transverse to its length. The device includes a first support mount for mounting to a handlebar and a second support mount for holding a flashlight. The first support mount has a first portion and a second portion. The first and the second portions each have an inside surface, an outer surface, a first end wall and a second end wall. The inner surfaces are concave. The first end of the first portion is hingedly coupled to the first end of the second portion. A first bore is in the second end of the second portion. A second bore is in the second end of the first portion of the support mount. The second bore extends from the second end of the first portion through the outer surface of the first portion. A screw releasably couples the first portion to the second portion. The second support mount is fixedly coupled to the outer surface of the first portion of the first support mount. The second support mount is substantially annular in shape. The second support mount has a gap therein.
In these respects, the device for mounting flashlights to bicycles according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of releasably mounting a flashlight to the handlebar of a bicycle.